


Zeal

by Lukra (49percentchanceofbees)



Category: Flight Rising
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-02-22 06:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13161375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/49percentchanceofbees/pseuds/Lukra
Summary: A mysterious magical plague devastates Clan Lukra.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Clan Lukra: [lair](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713) // [profile](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=94713) // [on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This is part of the Facing Ruin shared lore group.
> 
> Facing Ruin: [on FR](http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2259254/1) // [on tumblr](https://facing-ruin.tumblr.com/) // [on deviantart](https://facing-ruin.deviantart.com/)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon receiving a vision of impending doom, [Telyn](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18122078) suddenly leaves the clan, imparting her predictions only to her former mate, [Acrux](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=12341839).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [this chapter on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/164454342249/upon-receiving-a-vision-of-impending-doom-telyn) // [this chapter on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/Telyn-s-Flight-700150302)  
>  __

Acrux walked into the chamber he shared with Telyn to find her frozen in place, teacup listing in one hand, slowly dripping, the pool of tea on the floor below ample evidence that she had been in this state for some time.

“Telyn? Are you all right?”

Telyn’s precognitive talents made this state slightly less alarming than it would have otherwise been, giving Acrux a possible explanation for it -- but he had lived with her a long time, during their now-lapsed partnership, and he’d never seen her like this before. Acrux’s own psychic abilities offered him no explanation; in the realm of ethereal voices, all he heard from Telyn was low sobbing.

Telyn blinked, slowly, and then more rapidly, and then in one rapid movement dropped the teacup, letting it shatter on the floor, and twisted away into the shadows, which were legion in this chamber. Acrux made no attempt to stop her, or follow her: he could still make her out, turned away from him, with her hood over her face. He also noted, with some satisfaction, that one of his clockwork devices had automatically come out of its usual place under a table and started to clean up the mess.

“Telyn? What did you see?” It was the most likely conclusion: Telyn often had visions of the future, and they were often unpleasant. But they didn’t usually bother her like this. Typically she took an attitude of cold detachment towards her own prophecies -- an attitude that she and Acrux had clashed over in the past, since he believed in attempting to aid those whose misfortune she’d foreseen and she did not. Maybe she had come around to his way of thinking, but somehow, Acrux didn’t think so. Surely that would’ve come more calmly.

“Terrible, terrible …” The other imperial’s voice echoed huskily out of the dark. She sounded wholly changed; those two words could have come from a completely different dragon, though her voice was more recognizable as she continued: “A scourge comes for us, unavoidable, unshakeable. We will be overcome. Half our number shall be lost. Out of ruin shall grow new purpose, new life, but I shall not be here to see it.”

“You saw your own … ?” Acrux trailed off before the word “death,” as if to speak it were to invoke it.

Telyn slowly raised her head, turning to look back at Acrux with Ice-empty eyes. “Unless I flee.”

She moved with that frantic speed again, rushing past Acrux to grab some of her possessions -- her crystals, her star maps -- and pull them together with sudden, panicked clarity. “I flee. I live. My efforts are not wasted. My ashes are not trampled into the dirt.”

“And what about the rest of us?” Acrux said, rather bitterly. So she had not, after all, decided she cared about the victims of the misfortunes she predicted: all that mattered to her was that now the tides of fate had turned against her. She had never deigned to act until her life was on the line, and now that it was, she had no thought for preserving the rest of her clan.

Telyn paused abruptly, completely still, looking at Acrux. Then, with a shrugging motion, she went back to her frenzied preparations. “You cannot escape. A few may run, but salvation depends on identity, not geography.”

She stopped again, turning slowly to Acrux, something of the old distant, slightly condescending affection with which she used to treat him entering her voice. “You are among those likely to survive, though it is not certain in my sight. Some are safe utterly. It shifts by the second, altered not by our actions but by the whims of fate -- there is nothing you can do, Acrux. You have not even the option of flight. I am sorry.”

And then she grabbed her things and ran out the door before Acrux could even respond. He stood dumbfounded for a moment, startled by her abrupt departure. Usually a dragon leaving the clan would speak with Aridatha, arrange themselves a new home, gradually pack up and have their things sent on -- but Telyn was simply gone, and it didn’t take precognition to know that she would not bother with any of the usual preparations, and that she would not be back.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Acrux](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=12341839) attempts to ask [Frip](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=18041467) about Telyn’s dire predictions, but instead he and [Talva](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=14414181) witness [Kelsus’](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6993741) fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [tumblr link](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/164485407594/acrux-attempts-to-ask-frip-about-telyns-dire) // [deviantart link](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-700290068)

Acrux poked his head into Frip’s quarters and … nothing. She wasn’t there. At least, he didn’t _think_ she was; it was hard to be sure, since he couldn’t keep the image of her chamber in his head. Even while looking at the room, he couldn’t describe it, couldn’t even tell anyone what was in it … More of Frip’s strange magic, but Acrux didn’t have time to worry about that now. 

After Telyn’s alarming departure, he could think of only two things to do: warn Aridatha and seek answers from Frip. He’d settled on doing the latter first, hoping that he’d have a little more information to go on when he spoke to Aridatha, something a bit more helpful than “inescapable doom.” It was a slim hope. While Frip most certainly _had_ answers, Acrux’s chances of dragging them out of her were not high. The nocturne knew everything that occurred in Clan Lukra, and often the future as well -- she had bonded with Telyn over that shared experience -- but, even more so than Telyn, she was disinclined to be helpful, preferring to maintain a frustrating aura of mystery.

“Acrux? What are you doing?”

Acrux sagged to the ground, abandoning his attempt to peer into Frip’s arboreal abode. The question came from Talva, standing on the ground next to him: she lived directly beneath.

“I’m looking for Frip. Have you seen her? It’s important.”

Perhaps something of the desperation he felt entered Acrux’s voice, because Talva gave him a long, searching look before answering. “No. But that doesn’t mean she’s not around. You know Frip; nobody ever sees her unless she’s decided to meddle.”

_I resemble that remark._ Acrux whirled around, hope briefly ignited by the nocturne’s voice in his mind -- but there was no sign of her, not even a swirl of white cloth or glint of silver wings. Acrux did not, habitually, swear, but he found himself biting back some withering words at the moment. _That -- that dragon!_ He heard Frip’s laughter in his head, and, rather incoherently, directed at her the sentiment that if she was somehow reading his mind right now, then she’d better get out here and _help_.

No answer, but a slip of paper fluttered down from the branches, despite the lack of any wind or movement that would have logically dislodged it. Acrux snatched it out of the air and barely restrained himself from snarling as he saw the message scribbled on it -- in large letters, so that even he, an imperial, could read it.

_Gone shopping. Be back soon. Love you ~ xoxoxoxo Frip_

“Is everything all right?” Talva looked up at Acrux with distant concern; she didn’t seem genuinely worried, perhaps even a little amused by his antics.

Acrux crumpled the note in his claws. “No. Telyn’s gone -- she had a vision … I need to see Aridatha. Be careful, Tal -- ”

With a soft cry, a fae fell from the branches above onto Acrux’s snout. Of course, Acrux barely even felt the impact, but he was startled -- and further startled when he caught the limp body as it slipped off and found Kelsus, eyes open and shining, _everything_ shining, a harsh multicolored light tracing its way across his body like veins … 

“Oh no,” Acrux said. In his mind he could hear Kelsus screaming.  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Nesita](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6928626), [Bartos](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=7080788) and [Geras](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6947922) examine [Kelsus](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6993741), trying to understand the strange symptoms he’s showing, only to be interrupted by [Acrux](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=12341839).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [read on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/164524627924/nesita-bartos-and-geras-examine-kelsus-trying-to) // [read on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-kelsus-700480023)

“I’m _fine_ ,” Kelsus said, tail twitching. Geras had known him long enough to read annoyance in his waving fins, as indifferent as his voice might sound.

“You are very much not fine,” said Bartos, Kelsus’ wing stretched delicately in his claws as he examined it. The painful glow from under Kelsus’ skin had become, if anything, worse, spreading across his markings, consuming his nails and bones. His eyes were like sunbeams, impossible to look directly at. “Fascinating. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Geras growled, irked by Bartos’ detached tone when he’d said himself that Kelsus was in danger -- but Nesita stepped forward before she could speak.

“It will be an interesting case for further study when the immediate danger has passed,” the older healer said, soothingly, taking up Kelsus’ other wing. Abruptly, the little fae snarled and snapped at Nesita’s paws, teeth flashing with that awful rainbow light, and both tundras pulled back, startled: Kelsus had never had a violent bone in his body. As soon as they released him, Kelsus fluttered rapidly to the ceiling, hanging from it, wings spread as if to envelop the watching dragons in even more of that terrible radiance.

“Kelsus?” Geras asked, cautiously. She was large enough to reach him on the ceiling -- in fact, she was rather cramped trying to fit into Talva’s quarters, which the snapper had generously offered in this emergency -- but she made no attempt to touch him, since that had apparently set him off. “What are you doing?”

“Stop fussing over me!” There actually was some emphasis on these words: startling, for a fae. “I’m fine! In fact, I’m _better_!”

“Kelsus, can you tell us what’s going on with you? What do you feel? When did this start?” Nesita’s voice was calming as ever, but Geras had known her for a long time, too: she was worried. That distressed Geras more than her own anxiety, since Nesita was usually so unflappable.

But the words seemed to have the desired effect on Kelsus: he folded his wings slightly, head tilting as he considered the questions. “I was insect-hunting and I saw this tree -- it was glowing. And then it, sort of, flashed … I feel so alive, Geras. It’s wonderful.”

Kelsus paused, and in that moment Acrux poked his head into the room, eyes wide, neck curling slightly around Nesita and Bartos.

“Nesita, Bartos, Geras, could you come out here for a moment?” The panic in the imperial’s voice startled Geras, since Acrux was usually even more levelheaded than Nesita.

“You go,” Geras told the smaller dragons. “I’ll stay here and watch Kelsus.”

“No!” Acrux snapped. “All of you need to come with me. _Now_.”

“But Kelsus -- ”

With a frustrated cry, Acrux threw his weight against Nesita and Bartos, bodily shoving them out of the chamber. Outraged, Geras leapt after them, and that was when Kelsus’ light flashed blindingly behind her, almost audibly impacting the wood by her head, as if it were solid -- Bartos threw up a protective magic automatically; the daggers of illumination shredded it but went no farther --

Kelsus was gone. Cracks of that awful rainbow light spread across the ceiling-supporting branch he’d hung from, the grass under his last location.

“Kelsus?” Geras said. “ _Kelsus_!”

She started to run back into the chamber, to look for him, to find him -- she didn’t know what she was going to do -- but Acrux restrained her, wrapping his sinuous body around her and holding her back with his own weight.

“It’s contagious!” the imperial said. “Talva’s eyes are glowing!”

Into the shocked silence, Bartos spoke one word, and distantly Geras noted that he was much better-versed in profanity than she would’ve thought.  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As [Aridatha](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=22429661), [Acrux](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=12341839), [Geras](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6947922), [Bartos](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=7080788), [Barholme](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=23816245), and [Nesita](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6928626) try to make sense of [Kelsus’](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=6993741) fate, [Iburel](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=21136081) appears to inform them that it was not an isolated incident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [read on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/164612473254/as-aridatha-acrux-geras-bartos-barholme-and) // [read on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-iburel-700900245)

“He can’t be gone,” Geras said, for the sixth or seventh time – Aridatha had lost count. No one really paid attention to the guardian anymore, huddled and shocked as she was, except to step over her tail.

“You have no idea what this is?” Repetition seemed in vogue today: it was the third time Aridatha had asked that, too, nominally directed at Bartos and Nesita but really beseeching anyone who might have any idea what was going on.

“Don’t touch it,” Acrux said, also a repeat, as Barholme’s gaze – and claw – strayed towards the rainbow swirls still emerging from Talva’s quarters, where Kelsus had … vanished. “Talva didn’t even touch him and she’s still got it.”

That was something new, something that got Aridatha’s attention – a way to move forward. “You handled Kelsus, Acrux. Bartos and Nesita too. Does that mean … ”

Acrux frowned. “Telyn said I would probably survive. She said some of us were definitely going to make it, but half … lost.”

“This is our lord’s punishment for suffering a filthy beast-lover to live,” Barholme said, quietly, almost to himself. Perhaps Aridatha was only projecting smug satisfaction onto his monotone voice.

Geras whirled abruptly to face the silver fae and roared, a savage sound that Aridatha had never heard from her – or any dragon – outside of battle; the force of her breath blew Barholme back a bit. He picked himself up with an offended air, the pink light of his magic beginning to form around his talons as if he anticipated a fight, but with her piece said, more or less, Geras curled back into herself, head hidden under a wing.

“Barholme, unless you have some truly helpful insight to offer, please leave,” Aridatha said. “It’s probably unwise to have any unnecessary dragons near the site of this … contagion.”

“I did offer helpful insight,” Barholme said, unblinking pink eyes fixed on Aridatha. “Kill the shape-shifter and we may beg our lord’s forgiveness.”

“This … phenomenon … does not bear the signature of Arcane magic,” Bartos said, distaste in his voice as he side-eyed Barholme. While they shared an interest in complex, theoretical magic, Barholme’s fanatical, apparently senseless devotion did not endear him to Bartos. “I find it unlikely to be a divine punishment.”

“Barholme, why don’t you go pray to the Arcanist for insight,” Aridatha suggested. Under her breath, she added, “I think we’ll need all the help we can get.”

“Do not mock me, spark-stealer,” Barholme said, fins pinned back; but he left, and Aridatha forced herself not to wonder what she’d just been called, as there were more important questions at hand.

“Right,” Aridatha said instead, refocusing. “Bartos, you stay here and study this thing. Try to figure out how to stop it, would you? Nesita, check on Talva, from a distance.” They’d placed the snapper in a quarantine of sorts, sending her to wait outside the lair and avoid contact with other dragons. “Acrux, can you make sure no one else has it, and that everyone knows to stay away from here and Talva? Rope in Cypress, and Isildur, and anyone else – ”

“Now, you would not deprive a dame of her darling, would you?” the deep voice came from behind Aridatha, inside the impacted area, and Aridatha felt ice run down her spine as she turned to see the shining eyes of the ridgeback standing right in the center of the web of rainbow light.

“Iburel … ”

How many dragons had Talva encountered, spoken to, before her eyes had started glowing – before anyone had known that there might be something wrong with her? At least one, apparently, her own mate … Or perhaps there was another means of transmission …

“Iburel, you need to go join Talva in quarantine.” Aridatha looked around, thinking of the lair’s layout, trying to calculate the quickest way to isolate Iburel, how to minimize exposure …

A toothy grin spread across the ridgeback’s snout. “No.”

“No?” Acrux stepped forward, putting himself bodily between Iburel and the smaller dragons. “Iburel, you’re sick. You’re contagious.”

“Perhaps.” Iburel shrugged. “But I’m afraid I feel acutely alive, and I reject restraint.”

Iburel reached out and picked up a cauldron, one of those he typically used for his brewing – the cold iron of which, Aridatha noticed distantly, had not been infected with the terrible light, despite its proximity to the site of Kelsus’ disappearance. Then Iburel lifted the cauldron to his face and spat into it, and the glow starting to trace its way across his skin from his eyes filled the cauldron. He held it out to his clanmates, grinning, his teeth shining like cruel stars.

“Won’t you experience my elixir? It animates, I assure.”

“We don’t want what you have,” Acrux said curtly. Then, under his breath: “Aridatha, Nesita, you should go. Bartos too, and Geras. I’ll deal with him.”

“Don’t curtail our company!” Iburel’s laughter was too loud and bright, and Aridatha saw Nesita and Bartos slip away, but she hesitated, unwilling to leave Acrux to deal with this.

“Go! If I’m busy here, you’ll have to warn the others,” Acrux said, pushing Aridatha slightly. When Aridatha didn’t move – simply wondered if by “busy” he meant “potentially dying” – Acrux turned to Geras, whose presence Aridatha had almost forgotten, she’d been so quiet. “Geras, get Aridatha out of here. We can’t let this happen to anyone else.”

Acrux seemed to have hit on the key phrase to wake Geras up; in a single, quick motion, the guardian snatched up Aridatha, who could manage no more than an offended squawk, magic and combat never having been among her skills, and crested the treetops with great heaves of her wings.

From above, Aridatha couldn’t distinguish the light twisting through Iburel and through the tree itself from the usual flickers of the Starwood.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spread intentionally by infected dragons like [Sovari](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=9375181), the strange plague threatens to annihilate Clan Lukra. A [stranger](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=35122816) goes unnoticed in the chaos as [Aridatha](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=22429661) scrambles to save whoever she can, warning [Isildur](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=24321014), [Arven](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=4257132), and [Halamshiral](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=10716813). An infected [Cobalt](http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15367781) attacks [Andon](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=22090310), finally revealing the spiral’s presence to the rest of the clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [read on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/165156455499/spread-intentionally-by-infected-dragons-like) // [read on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-chaos-703560765)

Sovari felt the new fire running through her veins, and it made her feel better, more alive, than she’d been in ages. She was tired of hiding, bored of observing. It was time for her to do something, and the best thing was, clearly, sharing her fresh elan with others.

Nobody had even noticed her in Talva’s chamber, not even Acrux, who thought he was so smart, so _magical_. Sovari’s talent for being inconspicuous had probably contributed to her recent ennui – no one made an effort to engage her, because no one even realized she was there. But now it would help her move through the lair without interference.

Starting from Talva’s chamber, the first place to go was two floors above. Intent on his work, Weythran didn’t even notice when Sovari stole up behind him and planted a rainbow-fire handpaint on his tail. Then it was off to Xylia’s, painting a glowing trail across the wildclaw’s own creations, one that she was sure to exclaim over – and touch – when she turned from her current work. And onwards: Aridatha and Lioska were out, but Sovari was able to share her bounty with Nessa and Sunfall, and on, and on …

*

In the confusion, no one noticed a blue-winged imperial perched at the top of one of the crystal ridges that encircled Clan Lukra’s lair, watching the bursts of rainbow light. There were many of those now, leaping up from disparate points in the clan: the watcher mentally mapped the spread of the plague, humming tunelessly to themself as they did so. They would need more data, of course …

Cautiously, the imperial began to pick their way down the ridge, into the valley.

*

_Shade, Shade, Shade._

Aridatha dashed through the lair, watching in horror as flares of that awful light went off in the trees, crackled across the canopy above and coursed through the ground below. She’d managed to meet up with – or spontaneous run into – some clan members, though she didn’t really have any more to tell them than to run, something they really ought to be able to figure out for themselves. Geras she’d sent to try and salvage the familiars, in the hopes that her established duty to the beasts might help overcome her grief. The guardian had gone off in the right direction, at least, and nodded, but Aridatha had no idea whether she would actually do it. She couldn’t worry about that now.

There were no eggs in the hatchery; Aridatha thanked the Arcanist for that, for one less fear on her plate. She’d also been lucky enough to encounter Lioska fairly quickly. The wildclaw had immediately grasped the idea of _emergency_ and _contagion_ , even if there hadn’t been time to give her all the details, and run off. Aridatha wasn’t completely sure what Lioska actually planned to _do_ about the emergency and contagion, but Lioska had a level head and some good military training: Aridatha trusted her to think of something helpful.

The rest of the clan, however …

As Aridatha clambered up into Isildur’s chamber, she saw Rakgi diving in the pond, the glow spreading under his skin telling her that it was too late to warn him. In the distance, the same light forked through the veins of a large, dark wing, though it vanished between the trees too quickly for Aridatha to tell whose. _Don’t let it be Geras – don’t let us lose Geras because I told her to go after the beasts instead of fleeing._ Peeking out from her own room, Zura made rather frightened inquiring noises at Aridatha, but there was no time to find the coatl a translator: Aridatha just gestured at her to run, and she seemed to get the message, jumping down and scurrying away on her tiny legs.

“Aridatha? I would most appreciate being informed as to what is happening.”

Aridatha barely restrained herself from a curt response: now was not the time for Isildur’s customary wordiness. Instead, she said, “There’s some kind of … disease, or contagious magic, spreading through the clan. It affects dragons and inanimate objects, and it … it’s deadly, we think.”

Clever as always, Isildur grasped the situation quickly. “You want me to move the hoard to safety?”

“Not the whole hoard.” That would be an impossible task: it had taken the clan’s largest and strongest members dozens of trips to bring all the accumulated products of all their labor over the mountains to the new lair. “Just grab the currency, the valuables. Don’t worry about the familiars; Geras is on it. And, Isildur? Don’t martyr yourself. Get out quickly, and don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

Isildur snorted delicately. “Trust me, Aridatha, I have no intention of dying for a handful of trinkets.”

“Good. Anyone else you run into, tell them to run. Doesn’t matter where, just get away from the lair.”

A frown. “You don’t want to set a rendezvous point for afterwards? Sounds like a recipe for chaos.”

Aridatha shook her head. “The infected dragons, they’re … they’re lucid, but something’s wrong with them. I think they might be deliberately spreading … whatever it is. So I don’t want to give them a target.”

“Very well.” With uncharacteristic brevity, Isildur departed, leaving Aridatha to a moment’s quiet.

What now? Aridatha had initially planned to go to Cypress and Illyan, to seek the journalists’ help in spreading word of the disaster, but she doubted anyone remained unaware now – sending those two back into the lair would risk their lives needlessly. Of course, knowing Cypress, he might have gone in anyway, just to investigate … Was it time for Aridatha herself to run? _A captain goes down with her ship …_ But she was not going to die here. The metaphorical ship meant less than its crew, and they would need her in the days to come. Assuming, of course, that she could do any better as a leader in the future – she hadn’t exactly prepared for this …

Pushing the thought away – _you can wallow in your own inadequacy when there’s no immediate danger_ – Aridatha decided that as long as she was here, she might at least try to warn the rest of the building. She’d already seen on her way up that Moros’ ground-floor chamber was empty, but the sound-mages Arven and Halamshiral lived above Isildur. They were, in fact, her parents, though none of them really found that particularly significant – as evinced by the fact that Isildur had felt no need to ensure their safety. Aridatha scrambled up the trunk of the structure’s central tree.

Arven stood in the center of the room, watching his delicate harps and flutes vibrate on the walls. He turned to Aridatha as she entered. “What is all this commotion? I was trying to work.”

“You need to get out of here,” Aridatha said shortly. “There’s a magical plague spreading across the lair. Take what you can carry, but don’t let it slow you down – just go.”

Arven started to ask a question, but Aridatha was already gone, climbing further up into the thin branches above, where she had to balance herself carefully. These areas were not designed for the use of any dragons above fae size, but she could see Halamshiral’s nest above her …

“Help!” The cry came from Cobalt’s nearby lean-to, though it was higher-pitched than the imperial’s typical voice, and sounded absolutely desperate. “Please, help me!”

Pausing only to shout a warning at Halamshiral’s nest, just in case the fae was in there, Aridatha spread her wings and glided into the lean-to, where she found a harshly glowing Cobalt casually crushing a blue spiral in his claws. The tilt of Cobalt’s head was more curious than malicious, as if he honestly just wanted to see what would happen to the smaller dragon’s body if he kept squeezing; and Aridatha had never seen the spiral before in her life.

That didn’t slow her intervention, though. She wasn’t large enough or magically skilled enough to fight Cobalt head-on, but she fluttered into the imperial’s face and threw sparks at his eyes, distracting him enough that the spiral managed to squirm out of his grip. Having escaped, he stood, panting, on the ground before Cobalt, staring up at the imperial in bewilderment; Aridatha dropped down next to him and shoved him towards the exit. “Go! Now!”

Cobalt shook the sparks from his eyes and roared, and the spiral at last fled with Aridatha on his tail. She glanced back, to see if Cobalt was in pursuit, and saw him flashing and spasming with rainbow light instead; quickly, she threw herself at the spiral, hurling both of them behind a large mirror. An explosion, and when she peered out again Cobalt was gone, leaving only the odd shred of that awful glow.

“Cobalt …” the spiral said, clearly in shock.

“Who are – never mind. Questions for later. Just run, get out of here – not that way!” This, when the spiral would have fluttered for a crevice in the lean-to’s construction, one where the multicolored fire was already spreading. “This thing is everywhere; there’s no hiding from it. Just get out of the lair, and we’ll all meet back up later.”

The spiral nodded quickly, several times, seeming to absorb the information a little more with each jerky movement, and then he was gone. And maybe it was time for Aridatha to get out too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the recent disaster, the remaining clan members reunite. As [Aridatha](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=22429661) tries to figure out what to do, [Frip](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=18041467) returns, angering [Acrux](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=12341839) and [Geras](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=6947922), and offers a revelation about [Kelsus’](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=94713&did=6993741) fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [read on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/165452213944/after-the-recent-disaster-the-remaining-clan) // [read on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-a-tally-705015394)

“That’s three passes without finding anyone else. I think this is all we’re going to find, unless someone survived in the lair itself.”

“Right. We’ll have to do that …” Aridatha looked miserably at Lioska, imagining the task of deciding which dragon should risk going back to the site of disaster, to the heart of the infection. Perhaps Aridatha herself ought to go investigate. She just couldn’t bring herself to ask anyone else to risk their lives; maybe she could ask for volunteers.

“We may wish to wait till morning,” Lioska said, the barest note of mercy in her voice. “Everyone is exhausted.”

It had taken the remainder of the day and a good portion of the night for Aridatha and Lioska to gather those clan members they could find in this small clearing about a mile from the lair. Finding Nesita and Bartos, who had stuck together, had helped greatly, since the two tundras were able to devise a spell that pointed them towards other dragons. But their success rate was not high. Clan Lukra had included 37 dragons before the incident. Only seventeen stood in this clearing.

Aridatha glanced around. “This isn’t much of a camp, but it’ll do.”

Lioska nodded. “I’ll see if I can arrange some hunting and foraging. We could do with a good meal -- or even a bad one.”

As Lioska moved away to talk to Delemont, Aridatha let her head droop into her talons and took stock.

They had not lost a full twenty dragons. Frip’s and Boolean’s travels had kept them out of harm’s way -- the former Aridatha knew of from Acrux’s account, the latter from Isildur’s records. Boolean would return in about a week’s time, and of course Aridatha doubted that the incident would have inconvenienced Frip even if she had been present. By pure bad luck, however, the catastrophe had caught the familiar-trader Nilith on one of her visits, and several dragons had seen her fly up over the treetops with that motley fire in her veins.

Surviving dragons had witnessed similar scenes with Weythran, Xylia, and Moros, and of course Aridatha had seen the infections of Iburel, Rakgi, Cobalt, and Kelsus for herself. And Talva, whose case had been their one inadequate attempt at a quarantine … Other dragons were simply missing: Arven, Zura, Sovari, Halamshiral, Gavin, Sunfall … and Nessa. That last name on the list of the vanished tore at Aridatha’s heart more than she cared to admit. No one could say whether these dragons had succumbed to the disease or simply become lost in the woods, so a painful thread of hope continued to spin in Aridatha’s veins … 

And she had to act on that hope. She made a decision: even with everyone tired, they needed to do at least a quick check of the lair. If it was safe, they would rest far better in their own home than in the middle of the woods -- unless, of course, the infection lingered invisibly, or they were too haunted by the images of their fallen friends … Regardless, Aridatha needed information. She turned to the rest of the clan and called for their attention. “Everyone! I know you’re tired; I know you’re hurting. But we need to know what the current state of the lair is, and … it may be dangerous to investigate. I’m not going to order anyone to go back in there, but I would appreciate volunteers.”

The entire clan -- excluding Delemont, Zarya, and Luna, who had gone off to find food -- stared blankly at Aridatha, clearly not enthused by the idea. Even Lioska appeared less than thrilled. Maybe Aridatha really should have waited until the next day.

Then, a voice from behind Aridatha: “That won’t be necessary. The lair is fine. The infection’s cleared out by now.”

Aridatha spun to see, of course, Frip, sauntering into their temporary camp as if she hadn’t just conveniently abandoned them in their hour of greatest need. Bile rose in Aridatha’s throat, and clearly not only in hers: Acrux lunged forward, snarling, “ _Where were you?_ ”

Frip paused and surveyed the scene: fourteen faces angry, like Acrux’s; or sad, like Cypress’s; or simply contemptuous, like Isildur’s. As she looked at the others, Aridatha felt her own rage fade away, replaced by despairing exhaustion. “You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you, Frip?”

For a long moment, the nocturne said nothing. Then: “Doesn’t matter.”

“It _doesn’t matter_?” With a single abrupt movement, Geras lifted herself from the spot where she’d lain listless and silent ever since they’d gathered, clearly suddenly furious. She stalked across the clearing and loomed over Frip, teeth bared, and even Acrux stepped back. “Half our clan is _gone_. Kelsus is _dead_. And you just -- How can you just come marching back in here like nothing’s -- ”

“Oh, right.” Frip held up a talon before Geras, ordering her to wait, and Aridatha could see the guardian’s entire body shaking at the casual insult of the gesture, but she seemed baffled into compliance, too surprised to either continue her tirade or take more physical action. Meanwhile, Frip lifted one wing and appeared to search under it, as if she had far more hidden there than her relatively small wingspan would suggest. Finally, after an agonizing moment, she turned back to Geras, pulling out from under her wing and rather disheveled, very confused green fae.

“K … Kelsus?” Geras jerked back in shock. “But I saw him -- I saw _you_ \-- ”

“Don’t say I never did anything for you,” Frip said, setting Kelsus on the grass, where he blinked and looked around blankly. Geras slowly, carefully, reached out a talon towards him, and he grabbed it -- both of them looked like they could not quite believe the other was real, or perhaps it was his _own_ existence Kelsus struggled with -- and then, in a quick motion, he scampered up Geras’ leg and sat on her shoulder, nestling into her haori. Carefully, Geras twisted her neck back and nuzzled him gently with her snout.

Aridatha looked at Frip and felt a strange cocktail of emotions, not all of which she could identify. Relief was in there, and joy -- of _course_ she was glad to have Kelsus back, so glad -- but also something sadder, something like disappointment, and then shame that she could greet such a boon with anything negative. “The others … ?”

“Don’t get greedy,” Frip said, as Aridatha had rather expected. “We broke the rules just to bring back Green Bean. Everything else is as written. Nobody else is coming back.”

For a moment there was solemn silence, a somber acknowledgment of all the bodies missing from that clearing, even now that two more had been added. Then, Frip added, “But the lair is safe, so I’m going to go get some rest in my own bed, and I suggest the rest of you do the same.”  



	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning to the lair after the outbreak of Zeal, [Aridatha](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=22429661) and [Lioska](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=22151204) find [a strange imperial](http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=94713&tab=dragon&did=35122816) already there, offering a path forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [read on tumblr](http://starwood-stranded.tumblr.com/post/166022769089/returning-to-the-lair-after-the-outbreak-of-zeal) // [read on deviantart](https://argetl.deviantart.com/art/zeal-a-cure-707817257)

Trudging back into the lair after a disaster, exhausted and grieving, the last thing Aridatha needed was to find a stranger sitting in front of her own home, intently inspecting something on the ground. Whoever they were, the blue-winged imperial represented another issue that needed dealing with, when all Aridatha wanted to do was sleep for weeks.

They also didn’t seem to have noticed the approach of Aridatha, or the ragged remains of the clan filing in behind her, too spooked to split up and head to their own quarters. For a long moment, everyone stood silent. Finally, Lioska walked up to the imperial and tapped them on the side. “Whatever you came here for, now is a poor time. Who are you, and what task shall we have to delay till morning?”

“This is the right time,” the imperial said, absently, and turned to give everyone a view of what they were looking at: a pulsating patch of rainbow light, taken root among the grass at their feet.

The entire clan recoiled, with snarls and cries of dismay. Aridatha whirled on Frip. “You said it was safe!”

Frip merely gestured back at the imperial, who barely seemed to have noticed the other  dragons’ reactions. Instead, they meticulously placed crystals in a complex pattern at their feet, beside the spot of light.

“That’s sacridite,” said Barholme, landing on Aridatha’s shoulder. She almost shook him off, but restrained herself, and he peered curiously at the design as the imperial completed it. Aridatha had questions, of course, but something in the imperial’s manner told her they would not be answered, so she held her tongue and waited for them to finish. Finally, the imperial delicately tapped a claw on a central crystal, making a distinct _plink_ sound, and rainbow light flashed over their scales. Everyone recoiled, again, but somewhere in the back of her mind, Aridatha noted that it wasn’t _quite_ the same as before: this light didn’t burn the eyes as its harsher cousin did … A circle of white light bloomed out from the sacridite, washing over the glowing grass, and then receded, and the rainbow was gone. So was the sacridite.

“Ah,” said the imperial, still with a distant, indifferent tone. “It works.”

“You didn’t know that was going to work?” said Geras, craning her neck from where she had, apparently, curled her entire body around Kelsus, unwilling to risk losing him again.

“I did,” Frip said. “Clan, Bluebird. Bluebird, clan. _Now_ we can wait till morning.”

“I was a blue bird,” the imperial agreed. They picked themself up and began to wander off to the south.

“Wait -- ” Aridatha said, and several others echoed her confusion.

Frip turned to them. “Aren’t you tired?”

And a sudden wave of new exhaustion washed over Aridatha, such that she could barely keep her eyes open, though she forced herself to do so just to glare at Frip: the timing was too convenient for this to be anything but the nocturne’s influence. But, as everyone else yawned and murmured goodbyes and headed to their own beds behind her, there was little Aridatha could do but comply.

*

Morning came, and explanations came with it, though never as complete as Aridatha would have liked, and with an excessive amount of meddling from Frip, who, as always, knew more about everything than anyone _should_. Though this did seem to balance well with the imperial Bluebird, who claimed to know little about even their own basic details. Even their name was provided by Frip, as Bluebird themself appeared confused by the entire concept of identity. Their vague answers to questions tended to run in circles.

What Aridatha came to understand was this: Bluebird was previously acquainted with the bright plague, which they called Zeal; they had seen it in their previous clan, though they would not name that clan, or give any details besides that it had been Arcane, as the imperial themself was. They had come east into the Starwood following the outbreak, experimenting with ways to contain it. The sacridite ritual was their first success. A brief break in the serious conversation occurred here, as Barholme discovered that Bluebird had taken the sacridite from his own personal supply, and Aridatha had to mediate the resulting argument, which was rather one-sided, since Bluebird made no attempt to defend themself and did not even seem to understand the fae’s anger.

With this finally settled, Aridatha returned to squeezing Bluebird for specifics on their “cure.” The ritual would not save the infected, who would in fact die from it, but it did stop the spread of infection. However, it requires massive amounts of sacridite -- Bluebird had used most of the clan’s existing store on that small patch of grass. And Bluebird grew increasingly vague when asked, by those well-versed in magical theory -- Bartos, Nesita, Barholme -- how exactly the spell worked, and how others could replicate it. Lioska gave Aridatha a look, and Ari nodded: the imperial’s imprecision was suspicious. They were hiding something, and would have to be carefully watched.

Bluebird was insistent about one thing, amidst all their evasions and equivocations: they wanted more sacridite. With enough of the material, they claimed, they could eliminate the disease, Zeal, once and for all. Or, at least, that was what Aridatha gathered from their words; what the imperial actually said was: “A surfeit of dreams will close the circle and calm the endless fire.” 

“So we need more sacridite,” Aridatha said. “A lot of it. I wonder how much it costs … ”

The clan’s store of treasure remained largely untouched, the nonliving gold and jewels unaffected by Zeal. They were far from any market, but Boolean should be home soon.

“Hm,” Lioska said. “Aridatha, a word?”

“Of course,” Aridatha said, and followed Lioska out of Bluebird’s hearing. As she left, she heard Bartos speaking to the imperial, trying once again to glean some specifics of their magic.

“This is a heavy burden for a single clan, especially one so recently devastated as our own,” Lioska said. “And such a worldwide cure benefits others almost more than ourselves: some of us have already proven resistant, like Acrux, who never developed the plague despite great exposure; and we have Frip and Bluebird.”

Aridatha tilted her head skeptically. She’d known Lioska was pragmatic, even ruthless, but this was a new low. “So we should let Zeal ravage the rest of Sornieth as long as we are safe? Even setting aside any moral concerns, we are self-sufficient, but not _that_ self-sufficient.”

“I’m not saying that,” Lioska said, though she didn’t bother pretending to be offended by the suggestion. “But it would be unfair as well as unwise for us to attempt this alone. We should seek allies. We could use help -- financial, scholarly, possibly even military.”

Aridatha let out a brief, almost mirthless laugh. “You choose such a selfish tone in which to advocate cooperation … but you’re right. If nothing else, others deserve to be warned of this danger.”

Lioska bristled a bit at the initial criticism, but Aridatha could see her deciding to let it go, chalking it up to stress or just recognizing its irrelevance. While Lioska had her pride, she was not in the practice of letting it obstruct more tangible pursuits. “Would you like me to draft a letter informing local clan members of such?”

“I’ll write it,” Aridatha said. “And I think we can do a bit better than ‘local.’ Could you go check on Illyan and see if her printing press is still functional?”  



	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bluebird and Frip inform Aridatha that Zeal is no longer a threat.

Aridatha woke to find the strange imperial, Bluebird, looking in her window. For a moment Aridatha just stared; then, belatedly startled, she jumped up out of her nest. “Bluebird! What are you doing?”

“It’s over,” said Bluebird.

“If ‘it’ is your unannounced and uninvited visit to my private quarters …” Aridatha began, then gave up: Bluebird would just ignore the reprimand, as they did most statements directed at them. Instead, Aridatha walked up to the window, which was open, bugs and excess temperatures kept out by magic, and gently pushed Bluebird’s snout out and away. Then she climbed out the window herself and clung to the outside of her room, looking at the imperial, who had not resisted or commented on the indignity. “All right, Bluebird. What’s over?”

Bluebird, of course, did not answer. Instead, they looked away from Aridatha, Arcane-pink eyes trailing vaguely over the scenery. “I can be a bird again …”

“What Bluebird means to say,” said Frip, “is that Zeal is no longer a threat.”

Aridatha just barely kept herself from jumping out of her skin. The nocturne sounded close; glancing over, Aridatha found her perched on a branch slightly above her. Gritting her teeth, Aridatha said, “How can Zeal no longer be a threat? We never found out how to cure it, or what caused it, or … anything, really.”

“We know,” Frip said. “But it’s passed from this world now. Well, some pockets may remain, but they’re no longer our problem. And, well, the guild’s not exactly in much shape to help, is it?”

Reluctantly, Aridatha had to admit that Frip was right. The initial response to her letter requesting aid in dealing with the strange disease had been encouraging, but offers of assistance had slowed to a trickle recently, and as for actual, tangible help – that had hardly materialized at all.

“So what are you suggesting?” Aridatha said.

“It would be a pity to continue to devote so much of the clan’s resources to something that’s no longer an issue,” Frip said. Bluebird, meanwhile, simply watched the sky. “And, well, I think before long we’ll find ourselves otherwise occupied.”

“We only have your word that Zeal is ‘no longer an issue,’” Aridatha pointed out.

“True, but you know I’m always right.” Frip gave Aridatha a cheeky grin. “And Bluebird did say it was over, too.”

“Bluebird …” Aridatha began, intending to address a question to the imperial, but she couldn’t come up with any questions that she thought Bluebird would actually answer. That never had been their strong point. If Zeal were truly gone … It’d be good news for many reasons, and somewhere near the bottom of the list Aridatha placed the fact that she wouldn’t have to rely on Bluebird for vital information ever again. At least, so she hoped. She wasn’t sure the clan should discontinue their flight against Zeal based purely on Frip’s word – but she’d definitely have to think about it.

“I can be a bird again,” Bluebird repeated, and then the imperial spread their wings – almost knocking Aridatha off her perch; there really wasn’t enough room for that here – and rose into the air, shoving through the canopy overhead and disappearing beyond the branches. Glimmering leaves, shaken loose by their passage, rattled down onto Aridatha and Frip.

“Are they … coming back?” Aridatha asked after a long moment’s silence.

“Good question,” Frip said. “Maybe, maybe not. My money’s on ‘not,’ though.”


End file.
